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Following earlier reports of studio closures and mass layoffs, Sony Online Entertainment has issued an official statement regarding its "strategic decision to reduce costs and streamline its global workforce." The company confirmed the closings of its Denver, Seattle and Tucson studios and the elimination of 205 jobs.

Additionally, SOE announced the cancellation of The Agency, the long-delayed, cross-platform spy MMO under development at SOE Seattle. The company said it's discontinuing production of the title to "focus development resources on delivering two new MMOs based on its renowned PlanetSide and EverQuest properties, while also maintaining its current portfolio of online games."

SOE added that the Denver and Tucson studios' projects would be transitioned over to its San Diego headquarters. The company's full statement is posted after the break.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceledcancellationclosureeverquestlayoffspcplanetsideplaystationps3soesoe-denversoe-seattlesoe-tucsonsony-online-entertainmentthe-agencyThu, 31 Mar 2011 14:52:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/07/the-agency-not-due-until-second-half-of-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/07/the-agency-not-due-until-second-half-of-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/07/the-agency-not-due-until-second-half-of-2011/#comments
Despite earlier intentions for a 2010 launch, it seems that Sony Online Entertainment's spy MMO The Agency has been delayed once more, this time being pushed into the second half of 2011. In a recent interview, Sony Online Entertainment president John Smedley noted as much, saying the game still "needed a lot of work."

"There was a moment in time in our company where we looked at our own stuff with a clear eye and saw we have to do better," Smedley explained. "DC Universe was held for a year-and-a-half from when we wanted to launch it and now I'm very happy with it." And we don't blame him -- when we last played The Agency it felt a bit underdone. Hopefully the folks at SOE Seattle will take the extra year to make a truly worthwhile multiplayer experience.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>delaysjohn-smedleymmopcplaystationps3release-datesoesoe-seattlesony-online-entertainmentsony-online-entertainment-seattleThe-AgencyTue, 07 Dec 2010 11:31:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/27/preview-the-agencys-player-vs-player-mode/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/27/preview-the-agencys-player-vs-player-mode/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/27/preview-the-agencys-player-vs-player-mode/#comments
For me, the selling point of MMOs is the huge, open world; a world full of other actual human beings who I can interact with and who can interact with me (almost like real life!). So when I snuck in some time with The Agency at Sony Online Entertainment's E3 booth this year, it was hard for me to shake the feeling that I was playing an Unreal Tournament-style, Ijji.com shooter (one powered by a modified Unreal Engine 3, no less) rather than an MMO. Sure, the Deathmatch trappings of my demo didn't help, but neither did lead designer Rory McGuire's explanation of how the game's Player vs Player works.

Essentially, interactions with other players are instanced into online multiplayer matches (30 players max), as seen here. The results of these battles are said to be reflected in the game's hub world -- locations can be taken by "U.N.I.T.E." or "Paragon" in multiplayer and those locations will show up as belonging to one of the game's two factions. From what I played, however, I'm not confident that what I've come to expect from an MMO -- the feeling of being in one huge world with other human beings -- is present in The Agency.